Prior to this subject I knew vague bits and pieces of a few things but really not much on Art and Books, the relationship between text and image, content and form/structure, how methods and materials affect a books final form, what is the function or even purpose of a book, the transition of format of the book over the years....... I had never even thought to question what a book was. It's format, its parameters, its content, it's message. It's affect on our world and our individual lives. I honestly believed my knowledge on this subject, vast subject, has been broadened dramatically.
Keeping a journal is a great way to mark my progress - include my interests, some visuals etc.... It shows my progression of learning. At first i only saw the blog format as a new way to keep a journal (never having blogged before), now I view it as a digital medium that threatens paper expressions such as books and journals. I see it as a modernistic means to create my own artists book - which now I completely intend to do. I quite liked Ruth Hadlow's 'Pattern Book' as a format, sans the audio element of people talking. But my own artistic skills are a bit more like Tom Phillip's messy doodles.
In some places i have been inspired to extend my research and learning outside of the subject readings.
I chose the comics topic, mainly because I was so taken with Maus. I'd previously written an essay on Nazi warfare propaganda and WW2 propaganda in general. 'Ducktails' was a piece of the study material given to us. It was a Disney cartoon depicting themes of racism, discrimination and sub-human treatments. Maus was interesting to me as a story, because I found a lot of similarities between Maus and Ducktails, but also Maus was interesting because of the HOW they told it - through the comic (graphic novel) format.... cleverly using image and text in panels to create. I'd been expecting some cute story on superheros.... but found that Maus depicted the survival through the holocaust. Quite serious themes and intelligent uses of metaphors and symbolism. I will definitely read more into Maus and am considering writing a comparative/contrasting essay (outside of uni requirements) on Maus and Ducktails.
I have worked consistently. Thinking about the topics and asking other people what they have thought. I've had some great discussions with my peers and the people around me. I would start a journal entry or segment and add to it every few days or so, as I got the time but also as new thoughts arose. Generally I really loved the subject and the relationship between text and image was very interesting. Format and content was interesting too - say in pop up books. I loved that aspect. This subject has really just made me think. And think! I have been inspired! I made an accordion book which I posted to my blog and since then have made three more for friends. I also posted a very useful YouTube clip on how to make one. I found having the visuals much more helpful.
In my learning I found that the detail of the making of paper and the printing process was intense. I had NO idea how much work went into their production. When you realise this, as I did, I discovered a whole new well of respect for the era and the amazing work they created and produced despite the serious lengthy amount of time it took to make. I could then also appreciate how far and how fast technology has taken us. How integral all of this was in the giant scheme of things.
I remember reading in the illuminated manuscripts section, one of the readings said that the church used large full sized pages in big gospel books to portray images flecked with gold paint highlights. This was to enable the non literate priests (or gospel readers) to interpret the story as they may via image if not text, and the large pictures made an impression on the seated audience of church people. The gold highlights assisting in the creation of a holy atmosphere, gilded in rich gold and light :) It was here when i realised the sheer depth of what text and imagery could contribute. It could encourage ones very faith. It allowed for illiterate readers, and helped them to read the story anyway. It did so much. And not just in this one specific example. Text and image, form and content..... through the measurable ages of their progression............... wow. I feel as if i have a tiny minuscule understanding of how big this subject really is. It's endless. But I feel as though I have learnt much from where I first started. And I intend to keep learning about this. I will certainly view things differently from here though.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Will the physical book continue to exist into the future?
Will the codex book be superseded by the digital book?
It's a possibility. I mean papyrus scrolls and manuscripts were superseded by books. And yet we still keep the scrolls and manuscripts as they are important in their own right. They contain our history, our advancements. We still watch movies, but the video tapes are now blue ray disks and they are no longer in black and white, they're in colour. Previously I had said "The absence of physical form here............... It's just another medium. another format. Like the pamphlet, the postcard, the codex...... its yet another medium we can create with. And share with such wide audiences. I don't believe this will overtake the book. Nothing compares to a book. It is the original. It offers its own set of treasures, being tactile, smell, more conveniently read, not requiring electricity to operate....."............ We have had the book for quite a while now. It has merged into our general cultures. But everything changes. The Buddhists believe the only constant thing in life is change. And I think with the speed at which we are accelerating - with our technologies, our cultures, our mere pace..... the book may alter as well. Not that I want it to...... but it is very possible. Even if it does, there will be a store of them at the museums. But I secretly hope that if this does occur, that the underground publishers continue their work of displaying great unique bodies of work that push all the boundaries :)
It's a possibility. I mean papyrus scrolls and manuscripts were superseded by books. And yet we still keep the scrolls and manuscripts as they are important in their own right. They contain our history, our advancements. We still watch movies, but the video tapes are now blue ray disks and they are no longer in black and white, they're in colour. Previously I had said "The absence of physical form here............... It's just another medium. another format. Like the pamphlet, the postcard, the codex...... its yet another medium we can create with. And share with such wide audiences. I don't believe this will overtake the book. Nothing compares to a book. It is the original. It offers its own set of treasures, being tactile, smell, more conveniently read, not requiring electricity to operate....."............ We have had the book for quite a while now. It has merged into our general cultures. But everything changes. The Buddhists believe the only constant thing in life is change. And I think with the speed at which we are accelerating - with our technologies, our cultures, our mere pace..... the book may alter as well. Not that I want it to...... but it is very possible. Even if it does, there will be a store of them at the museums. But I secretly hope that if this does occur, that the underground publishers continue their work of displaying great unique bodies of work that push all the boundaries :)
Books in the Digital Era: The forum posting
I have looked at the online works of Alex Appella for sale. She is undoubtedly a book artist and sells her books online. Although there are examples of her work... it isn't really set up as a book or a book structure... whatever that may be. I think she's just using this webspace for advertising basically. This should not be regarded as a book. More a pamphlet on where to buy the goods :) Here are a few of her links.
http://www.transientbooks.com/AlexPortfolio/magiccarpetpoem/magic%20carpet%20eng%20link.htm
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alexbooks.html
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alexamerskitz.html
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alextrilogy.html
.......................................................................................................................................................................
I have looked at Ruth Hadlow's 'Pattern Book' work online - and I believe it is a digital version of the artists book. I believe that work such as this should indeed be considered an artists' books. I know that the format is digital and it's new. But surely this is just another ground breaking way in which to document, express, construct teh artist book? It was always non conformist, even from a traditional viewpoint. It would ínterrogate"the book format and take it to new levels. Ruth HArlow's, Pattern Book combines, typed and handwritten text, images, drawings, photographs, symbols on gridded and plain paper.... it creates a story. A message. Depicting art and experience and expression.... a journal of sorts. I believe the structure of the online book helps, to be able to flip through the pages at will. I really like this format. To me it is still book like. No i can't feel the pages, but it still functions as a book.
The absense of physical form here............... It's just another medium. another format. Like the pamphlet, the postcard, the codex...... its yet anotehr medium we can create with. And share with such wide audiences. I dont believe this will overtake the book. Nothing compares to a book. It is the original. It offers its own set of treasures, being tactile, smell, more conveniently read, not requiring electricty to operate.....
http://www.ruthhadlow.net/patternbook/
http://www.transientbooks.com/AlexPortfolio/magiccarpetpoem/magic%20carpet%20eng%20link.htm
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alexbooks.html
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alexamerskitz.html
http://www.transientbooks.com/alexappella/alextrilogy.html
.......................................................................................................................................................................
I have looked at Ruth Hadlow's 'Pattern Book' work online - and I believe it is a digital version of the artists book. I believe that work such as this should indeed be considered an artists' books. I know that the format is digital and it's new. But surely this is just another ground breaking way in which to document, express, construct teh artist book? It was always non conformist, even from a traditional viewpoint. It would ínterrogate"the book format and take it to new levels. Ruth HArlow's, Pattern Book combines, typed and handwritten text, images, drawings, photographs, symbols on gridded and plain paper.... it creates a story. A message. Depicting art and experience and expression.... a journal of sorts. I believe the structure of the online book helps, to be able to flip through the pages at will. I really like this format. To me it is still book like. No i can't feel the pages, but it still functions as a book.
The absense of physical form here............... It's just another medium. another format. Like the pamphlet, the postcard, the codex...... its yet anotehr medium we can create with. And share with such wide audiences. I dont believe this will overtake the book. Nothing compares to a book. It is the original. It offers its own set of treasures, being tactile, smell, more conveniently read, not requiring electricty to operate.....
http://www.ruthhadlow.net/patternbook/
Books in the Digital Era
Hypertext is basically information that is within a network of non linear structure.
The term "hypertext" was coined by Ted Nelson, who defined it in his self-published Literary Machines as "non-sequential writing". The hypertext is connected via hyperlinks to each other. It is the net that houses all of this.
It was mentioned in the study guide that Paper based hypertext could take the form of an encyclopedia. If this is the case then dictionaries would also fall into this category. What about pick a path books? recipe books?
Lots of different elements can be linked electronically using hyperlinks.... video, imagery like photos, animation, songs and music, interactive pages for games etc... can be linked which have a flash element to them, apps for iPhone..... it's ever growing.
The 'Electronic Labyrinth' reminds me of Wikipedia. I think the body of work is unstable.... its constantly shifting and there is no traditional 'standard'. But.... it is of the times. It does facilitate a helpfully quick method in which to find information. It is book-like in the sense that it has text which informs and delivers a message. But that is about where it stops for me. It has no paper. I must read it vertically in front of my face. There are no pages to turn. It is hard to get into a rhythm of reading when it constantly changes and so quickly too. It's distracting.
I think the physical form of the artists book could be used to create hypertext and hypermedia. Look at Tom Phillip's. He has uploaded his artist's book of 'Humument' and has an option to view this amazing work as a slide show. This displays his book, and flips through the pages, as though you were reading it. This motion imitates the same act as when we read a paper book, turning the pages..... it is more enjoyable and more book-like through this technique. What about blogs though? Are they not some form of artists book? Mine perhaps is not, but there would be others that are.
The term "hypertext" was coined by Ted Nelson, who defined it in his self-published Literary Machines as "non-sequential writing". The hypertext is connected via hyperlinks to each other. It is the net that houses all of this.
It was mentioned in the study guide that Paper based hypertext could take the form of an encyclopedia. If this is the case then dictionaries would also fall into this category. What about pick a path books? recipe books?
Lots of different elements can be linked electronically using hyperlinks.... video, imagery like photos, animation, songs and music, interactive pages for games etc... can be linked which have a flash element to them, apps for iPhone..... it's ever growing.
The 'Electronic Labyrinth' reminds me of Wikipedia. I think the body of work is unstable.... its constantly shifting and there is no traditional 'standard'. But.... it is of the times. It does facilitate a helpfully quick method in which to find information. It is book-like in the sense that it has text which informs and delivers a message. But that is about where it stops for me. It has no paper. I must read it vertically in front of my face. There are no pages to turn. It is hard to get into a rhythm of reading when it constantly changes and so quickly too. It's distracting.
I think the physical form of the artists book could be used to create hypertext and hypermedia. Look at Tom Phillip's. He has uploaded his artist's book of 'Humument' and has an option to view this amazing work as a slide show. This displays his book, and flips through the pages, as though you were reading it. This motion imitates the same act as when we read a paper book, turning the pages..... it is more enjoyable and more book-like through this technique. What about blogs though? Are they not some form of artists book? Mine perhaps is not, but there would be others that are.
Tom Phillip's book
Examples of Tom Phillip's Work: The Humument.
I have spent a great deal of time viewing the Humument online. I absolutely love this book! I think I will need to buy one for my collection. I am so inspired by it and think i will create one myself. But of course in my own style using my wildly varied and brutally amateur artistic skills :)
From reading 12, A.R. Penck altered a maths book with his own graphics, Tom Phillips defaced an old Victorian novel with his art and constructed text from text already provided, Helen Brunner mutilated and assembled juxtaposed text fragments of documents, Harry Reece implanted references from Dadaists and Surrealists text and figures onto his own work, Buzz Spector short sheeted books but kept their original titles.
From reading 12, A.R. Penck altered a maths book with his own graphics, Tom Phillips defaced an old Victorian novel with his art and constructed text from text already provided, Helen Brunner mutilated and assembled juxtaposed text fragments of documents, Harry Reece implanted references from Dadaists and Surrealists text and figures onto his own work, Buzz Spector short sheeted books but kept their original titles.
"For most book artists, the basic way of altering books consists of reproducing the original volumes without changes and then using it as a sketch book with a few doodles and isolated words, all of which drastically reduces the legibility of the original printed text. " Altering Books - The Cutting Edge of Reading.
Tom Phillip's work was considered significant in the genre because it was ground breaking. It is said that he was possibly the first artist to reconstruct an already existing, published book this way: inventing the format.
Phillip's took a Victorian novel "The Human Document" and created from it "The Humument". Phillip's says that he "treated" the existing book, and in this treatment he painted, collages, cut out, drew and scribbled, and highlighted text of differing sections on each page.
The traditions form and structure of the prior book.... have been completely demolished to create new form and new structure. But there is the essence of the old structure that comes through in the colour washed over words that have been allowed to remain or lie dormant in the background.
Some of the critical responses to the book have been along the lines of, "destruction of an original work", that Phillip's is merely an editor.... but I think there is real genius to his work. The relationship between image and text varies so much from page to page.... In the chaos of not conforming to structure... there is a structure. The poetry has been highlighted by almost a comic styled panelling or speech bubbles. The text, ever present either in the old Victorians novel, or in the selected text/poetry of Phillips - It curls around, quietly states and rudely obstructs and at times dominates the page.... but what it does is interest with the imagery on the page. On each page, as each page is so different. It's engaging and inspiring and clever
The relationship between the author and the artist...... I would assume there is no relationship personally between them. Phillips has chosen a book to desecrate and create a new from it. The author has completed his work... and the illustrator or designer has completed the work. Funnily enough, not unlike the illuminants working on commission :)
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Artist in the 20th Century
Some of the art movements of the 20th century used the artist's book as a means of expression. These movements included; Cubism, Russian and Italian Futurism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Dada, Lettrism, Fluxus, Pop Art, Conceptualism, Minimalism, The Women's Art Movement and Post Modernism.
I think the artists are attracted to the book as a form of artistic expression because very famous artists were often published here in this medium. Also because the book was so free of restrictive conformist formats. One could create practically what they liked within the book.
The form is popular with some galleries because they were in essence art.
The relationship between the printing industry and book artists shared at times a practice in fine printing. And whilst book art didn't conform to fine printing, they exhibited at times high qualities of work and practice that fell within this realm.
The techniques that artists used in creating artists books was widely carried. Covering numerous art movements gives an indication of the styles and mediums used. One could etch, print, hand colour, block print, draw, sketch..... the techniques utilised were endless.
Artist's books are not like regular books, they follow no set of guidelines and in saying this, this is a factor that affects the sale of the books. They are not mass produced or replicated as a livre d'artiste book.
I think the artists are attracted to the book as a form of artistic expression because very famous artists were often published here in this medium. Also because the book was so free of restrictive conformist formats. One could create practically what they liked within the book.
The form is popular with some galleries because they were in essence art.
The relationship between the printing industry and book artists shared at times a practice in fine printing. And whilst book art didn't conform to fine printing, they exhibited at times high qualities of work and practice that fell within this realm.
The techniques that artists used in creating artists books was widely carried. Covering numerous art movements gives an indication of the styles and mediums used. One could etch, print, hand colour, block print, draw, sketch..... the techniques utilised were endless.
Artist's books are not like regular books, they follow no set of guidelines and in saying this, this is a factor that affects the sale of the books. They are not mass produced or replicated as a livre d'artiste book.
William Blake
Drucker refers to William Blake's work as auratic. By this I believe she means that his work emanates an energy. It radiates something. Blake's collaboration of image and text is very good. Each piece is an artwork. The text neither detracts or overrides the image. Or vice versa.
Blake's books were all hand coloured. Blake used etching combined with printing:
"Engraving: On 12 April 1827, shortly before he died, Blake wrote to George Cumberland thanking him for trying to sell copies of Blake's illuminated books and his recently published engraved illustrations to the Book of Job. Blake had first executed the Job illustrations as watercolor drawings for Thomas Butts around 1805, followed by a duplicate set for John Linnell, who commissioned him to engrave the series in 1823.
Three years later, Blake had 22 line engravings that looked very different from the tonal prints then popular. Indeed, they even looked different from engravings, his own included, for they were not executed in the standard "mixed method" technique, in which designs were first etched and then finished as engravings. In this technique, which Blake mastered as an apprentice, the design's outline was traced with a needle through an acid-resistant "ground" covering the copper plate and then etched with acid. The engraver went over these slightly incised lines with burins (metal tools with square or lozenge-shaped tips used to cut lines into the plate) and engraved the plates entire surface, uniting all parts in a web of crosshatched lines. ill. 1 ill. 2 ill. 3 ill. 4 ill. 5 ill. 6 ill. 7 These advances in technique enabled "modern" engravers to represent mass and tone more convincingly than the more linear style of such "ancient" engravers as Blake's heroes, Durer and Raimondi, whose works were often dismissed as "Hard Stiff & Dry Unfinishd Works of Art" (anno. Reynolds, E 639). The Job engravings were executed entirely with burins and without preliminary etching, with tone subordinate to line and texture and with lines amassed in parallel strokes rather than in the conventional "dot and lozenge" pattern (dots incised in the interstices of cross-hatched lines, the linear system characteristic of bank-note engraving; see ill. 8 ill. 9 ill. 10 . Blake's emulation of the ancient engravers produced a modern result: original artistic expression in a graphic medium whose materiality and natural language were fully exploited. ill. 11 ill. 12 It was the masterpiece of his lifetime as an engraver, but it would be a tough sell, as Blake and Linnell, who had 315 sets printed in early 1826, must both have realized. " http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/about-blake.html
These techniques of William Blake's influenced his relationship between text and image through representing mass and tone more realistically. He had contributed a new style to the art world.
The Song of Innocence and Experience:"This lyric anthology evokes a predominantly pastoral world prior to the dualisms of adult consciousness. Human, natural, and divine states of being have yet to be separated. The child is the chief representative of this condition; other recurrent figures, such as the shepherd and lamb, point ultimately to the figure of Christ as the incarnation of the unity of innocence. In a few poems, the rhetoric, irony, and divided consciousness of experience begin to insinuate themselves into the landscape of innocence. In 1794, Blake combined Innocence with its contrary companion, the Songs of Experience, to create the combined Songs of Innocence and of Experience." http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/work.xq?workid=s-inn&java=yes
I have looked at versions B and U. Version B is colourful with outlines. But in comparison version U is in black and white. The ink seems quite a bit darker and the whole image seems to be more detailed. I think the version you were reading would of course affect the way you would read these books. Just from the two I've compared, one would read light and airy and the other would read quite severely and detailed.
Blake's books were all hand coloured. Blake used etching combined with printing:
"Engraving: On 12 April 1827, shortly before he died, Blake wrote to George Cumberland thanking him for trying to sell copies of Blake's illuminated books and his recently published engraved illustrations to the Book of Job. Blake had first executed the Job illustrations as watercolor drawings for Thomas Butts around 1805, followed by a duplicate set for John Linnell, who commissioned him to engrave the series in 1823.
Three years later, Blake had 22 line engravings that looked very different from the tonal prints then popular. Indeed, they even looked different from engravings, his own included, for they were not executed in the standard "mixed method" technique, in which designs were first etched and then finished as engravings. In this technique, which Blake mastered as an apprentice, the design's outline was traced with a needle through an acid-resistant "ground" covering the copper plate and then etched with acid. The engraver went over these slightly incised lines with burins (metal tools with square or lozenge-shaped tips used to cut lines into the plate) and engraved the plates entire surface, uniting all parts in a web of crosshatched lines. ill. 1 ill. 2 ill. 3 ill. 4 ill. 5 ill. 6 ill. 7 These advances in technique enabled "modern" engravers to represent mass and tone more convincingly than the more linear style of such "ancient" engravers as Blake's heroes, Durer and Raimondi, whose works were often dismissed as "Hard Stiff & Dry Unfinishd Works of Art" (anno. Reynolds, E 639). The Job engravings were executed entirely with burins and without preliminary etching, with tone subordinate to line and texture and with lines amassed in parallel strokes rather than in the conventional "dot and lozenge" pattern (dots incised in the interstices of cross-hatched lines, the linear system characteristic of bank-note engraving; see ill. 8 ill. 9 ill. 10 . Blake's emulation of the ancient engravers produced a modern result: original artistic expression in a graphic medium whose materiality and natural language were fully exploited. ill. 11 ill. 12 It was the masterpiece of his lifetime as an engraver, but it would be a tough sell, as Blake and Linnell, who had 315 sets printed in early 1826, must both have realized. " http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/about-blake.html
These techniques of William Blake's influenced his relationship between text and image through representing mass and tone more realistically. He had contributed a new style to the art world.
The Song of Innocence and Experience:"This lyric anthology evokes a predominantly pastoral world prior to the dualisms of adult consciousness. Human, natural, and divine states of being have yet to be separated. The child is the chief representative of this condition; other recurrent figures, such as the shepherd and lamb, point ultimately to the figure of Christ as the incarnation of the unity of innocence. In a few poems, the rhetoric, irony, and divided consciousness of experience begin to insinuate themselves into the landscape of innocence. In 1794, Blake combined Innocence with its contrary companion, the Songs of Experience, to create the combined Songs of Innocence and of Experience." http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/work.xq?workid=s-inn&java=yes
I have looked at versions B and U. Version B is colourful with outlines. But in comparison version U is in black and white. The ink seems quite a bit darker and the whole image seems to be more detailed. I think the version you were reading would of course affect the way you would read these books. Just from the two I've compared, one would read light and airy and the other would read quite severely and detailed.
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